Hosts South Africa [ Images ] will play Mexico in the opening match of Africa's first World Cup finals next year with two former winners, France [ Images ] and Uruguay, also drawn in the same group Friday.

But if the hosts did not get the easy draw they were hoping for, neither did five times winners Brazil [ Images ], who play their European cousins Portugal, Africa's strongest team Ivory Coast and North Korea.

The draw for the 32-nation tournament was made at the end of a 90-minute global television spectacular broadcast to more than 250 million people in a ceremony hosted by FIFA [ Images ] general secretary Jerome Valcke and South African actress Charlize Theron [ Images ].

The opening match will be staged on June 11 at Johannesburg's Soccer City stadium with the final in the same stadium on July 11.

The hosts will face a hard time getting out of Group A and into the last 16 for the knockout rounds.

South Africa defender Matthew Booth, who took part in the draw, said afterwards: "It's a very tough group but we didn't expect an easy one."

Holders Italy [ Images ], who beat France in the final four years ago in Germany [ Images ], have a more comfortable looking ride in Group F with Paraguay, New Zealand [ Images ] and Slovakia.

Germany have it a bit tougher with Australia [ Images ], Serbia and Ghana standing in their way in Group D.

England [ Images ] meet the United States, who beat them in a shock result at the 1950 finals, Algeria and Slovenia.

Former England captain David Beckham [ Images ], also taking part in the draw, said: "It's just an honour and a privilege to be at the first finals in Africa."

The ceremony included a televised address to the world from former South African president Nelson Mandela [ Images ].

The country's current president Jacob Zuma [ Images ] appeared on stage to make the bold prediction that the trophy would stay in Africa after the continent staged the tournament for the first time.

The groups:

Group A	Group B
South Africa	Argentina
Mexico	Nigeria
Uruguay	South Korea
France	Greece

Group C	Group D
England	Germany
United States	Australia
Algeria	Serbia
Slovenia	Ghana

Group E	Group F
Netherlands	Italy
Denmark	Paraguay
Japan [ Images ]	New Zealand
Cameroon	Slovakia

Group G	Group H
Brazil	Spain
North Korea	Switzerland [ Images ]
Ivory Coast	Honduras
Portugal	Chile

Image: South African actress Theron and FIFA General Secretary Valcke speak during the ceremony before the draw for the 2010 World Cup in Cape Town

Photograph: Reuters